Stone surfacing machine



April 17, 1934. J. J. MCCLYMONT 1,955,081

STONE SURFACING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1952 I INVENTOR .A Q61? ATTORNEYPatented Apr. 17, 1934 v UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE STONE SURFACINGMACHINE Application July 8, 1932, Serial No. 621,373

2 Claims. (01. 51-126) The invention relates to stone surfacing machinesand has for an object the provision of a machine having a rotatabletable for supporting thereon a plurality of stones, and having a plu- 5rality of movably mounted surfacing devices for successively subjectingthe traveling stones to progressively finer grinding action forpolishing the stones.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stone surfacing machineof this character in which the surfacing devices extend outwardly from amounting adjacent the axis of the rotary table, thus permittingunobstructed access to the entire periphery of the table.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a stonesurfacing machine embodying "20 the invention, parts thereof being shownin radial section, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof taken generally along the line22 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, designates a stationary column extending upwardly from afloor 11. A flat-topped stone supporting table 12 of annular shapesurrounds the lower portion of the column 10 and is provided with aconcentric circular track member 13 which is supported and guided on aseries of spaced flanged rollers 14 mounted on brackets 15 fixed on thefloor 11, thus supporting the table for rotation about a vertical axis.An internal ring gear 16 is secured to the inner edge portion of thetable 12 and meshes with a pinion 17 secured to a vertical shaft 18depending from a speed-reducing transmission 19 mounted on one side ofthe column 10, the lower end of the shaft being journalled in a bearing20. The shaft 18 is driven through the transmission by an electric motor21 to rotate the stone-supporting table at a very low rate of speed,which is preferably adjustable.

The circular track member 13 is secured to a number of radiallyextending I-beams 22 which are fastened to inner and outer flanged ringmembers 23 and 24 respectively. At their inner ends the I-beams are alsosecured to subjacent plates 25 having drain openings 26 which registerwith an annular drain trough 27 formed on the floor 11. Inclined drainplates 28 extend between the I-beams 22 from the outer edges of thetable to the plates 25, and inclined barriers 29 are carried on theinner edge portions of the plates.

The rotary table is provided with a wooden platform including spacedwooden bars or planks 30 on which stones 31 are placed for surfacing. Insome instances chock blocks 32 may be secured to the platform to preventshifting of the stones. The spaces between the platform bars 30 permitdrainage of the water and sludge during the surfacing operations.

A plurality of surfacing devices 33 are mounted above the rotary tablefor successively operating on each stone in its circular travel. In thepresent instance, three surfacing devices are provided, the first ofwhich eifects'a gritting operation, the second a honing operation, andthe third a polishing operation. The three surfacing devices arearranged 90 apart at B, C and D and the space preceding the first deviceis employed as a loading and unloading station, indicated at A.

Each surfacing device per se is of well known construction and includesa vertical shaft 34 which is journalled in bearings 35 secured to thecolumn 10, the upper portion of the shaft carrying a pulley 36 driven byany suitable source of power, such as an electric motor 37. A bracket 38is swingably mounted on the shaft 34 and is vertically adjustablethereon as usual. The

outer end of the bracket 38 carries a vertical shaft 39 on which anotherbracket 40 is swingably mounted. A vertical shaft 41 is journalled atthe outer end of the bracket 40 and carries an axially movable grindingor surfacing head 42 at its lower end, the head being driven through auniversal joint 43. The shafts 34 and 39 are provided with respectivepulleys 43 and 44 connected by a belt 45, and the shafts 39 and 41 areprovided with respective pulleys 46 and 47 connected by a belt 48. Apivotally mounted hand lever 49 is connected with the surfacing head forapplying the grinding pressure, and for swinging the articulated frame.A control handle 50 is provided as usual for adjusting the elevation ofthe connected brackets 38 and 40. The shaft 41 is hollow and equippedwith a Water connection 51 for supplying water to the grinding head.

In operation, the table 12 is set in rotation and a stone is placed onthe table at the loading and unloading station A. When the stone reachesor approaches the position B, the workman coarsely grinds or grits theupper surface of the stone by means of the surfacing head 42, the latterbeing movable laterally in all directions. During the grinding operationWater is applied to stone and drains eventually into the trough 2'7. Thearticulated frame of the surfacing device has a long sweep permittingthe grinding operation to continue as the table rotates through aconsiderable angle. During the gritting operation, another stone isplaced on the table at the station A. When the gritting operation iscompleted, the gritted stone in like manner receives a honing operationat station C, the succeeding, stone being subjected to the grittingoperation at station B and an incoming stone being loaded onto the tableat station A. The stone finally receives a polishing operation atstation D and is removed from the table at station A, following whichanother rough stone is placed on the table.

The adjacent surfacing devices have an overlapping range of movement soas to avoid any substantial interruption in the surfacing operations andto allow for variations in grinding time. Assuming that the grindingoperations require equal intervals of time, then each surfacing devicehas a range corresponding approximately to 120 of table rotation, thetime required for loading and unloading being relatively small. Theoverlapping range of movement of adjacent surfacing heads permitssuccessive application of these heads to a stone on the table withoutrequiring a shift in the position of the stone during the changeover,and without requiring the changeovers of the several surfacing heads totake place simultaneously.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stone surfacing machine, the combination of a table rotatableabout a vertical axis and having an apertured upper surface adapted tosupport stones thereon, drainage collecting means carried on said tablebelow its upper surface and having a discharge opening, an annular drain

